Grain-elevator



(No Model.)

T J; UNDERWOOD.

GRAIN ELEVATOR. Ila 377,917.;

Patented Feb. 14; 1888.

N. PETERS. Pholu'Lflhognphur, Walhinginn. ELC.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMASLU'NDERWOOD, on DECATUR, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO ELIAS DUNKEL, OFEMERY, I LinoIs.

GRAlN-ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,917, dated February14, 1888.

2 Application filed May 12, 1887. Serial No. 238,003. (No model.)

To all-whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THoMAs J. UNnERWooD,

of the city of Decatur, county ofMacon, and

v hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The device as awhole is particularly adapted for use in connection witha thrashing-machine, corn-sheller, or other analogous portablecontrivance; but the buckets may be used in any place and under anycircumstances that other buckets may be used.

In the drawings accompanying andforming a part of this specification,Figure l is a side View of my entire elevator, the casing being brokenat top and bottom to show the inner mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side View ofthe upper portion of the elevator-casing. Fig., 3 is a perspective viewof a belttightener that is peculiarly applicable to my device. Fig. 4.is a diagram of a clamp-bracket that provides shifting bearings forcertain intermediate mechanism, hereinafter specified. Fig. 5 is a 4diagram of a portion of a clamp-hinge that adjustably and pivotallyconnects the elevator with the machine with which it may beco-operating. Fig. 6 is a face view of the hinge. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of my elevatorbucket. Fig. 8 is a perspective View ofan inner corner of the bucket. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the outersurface of the bucket. Fig.

' 10 is a section of the bucket and the belt at a line coincident withthe dotted line as in Fig.9.

The elevator-casing l is preferably rectangular in crosssection, and, asa matter of convenience, it is usually inclined, as indicated in thedrawings. On the top of theseparator,

' corn-sheller, or other machine, as the case may be, is bolted a-plate,12, from which project upwardly the rounded bearings 11. Plates 8 and 10are on opposite sides of the elevator and are held in position byclamping-bolts 9.

On plate 8 are undercut projections 7, that rest on bearings 11 andsupport the elevator in a manner permitting pivotal adjustment. The web24 {seen in Fig. 6) extends above the bearings 11 and prevents lateraldisadjustment of the hinge.

Bracket-plate 14c and bracebar' 2L are on opposite sides of the elevatorand are clamped thereon in any desired position by bolts 22.

mounted in sliding frames or belt-tighteners, as indicated in Fig. 2 andshown indetail in Fig. 3. A stationary frame is composed of side bars,28, and cross-bars 29 30, and crossbar 29 is provided with threaded head34. A sliding plate, 31, is placed between the side bars and behind thecross-bars of the stationary frame and is provided with bearing 32 andhead 33. The side bars, 28, are secured'to the elevator-frame, and athreaded bolt, 35, in head 3i presses against head 33 and provides meansfor regulating the vertical position of the sliding plate. 7

The belt 4 has buckets that are composed each of a curved outer plate,5, of scoopforma tion, end pieces, 36, and fingers 37, and that aresecured to the belt at the lower termination of 1 the scoop-plate. Themeans preferably-employed for securing the buckets to the belt comprisethe bolts 40, (shown in Fig. 10,) and in order that said bolts may.be-in line with the lower termination of the scoop-plate cavities 38are formed therein and perforated at 39 to receive the bolts. The beltis slightly wider than the buckets, and the fingers hold. the 'ends ofthe scoops in close contact with the belt while the same is straight.When a pulley is reached, the belt curves away from the 5 y The shaftsof pulleys 26 and 27 areeach I scoop portion of the bucket and gives thea same a chance to fill or discharge, as the case may be.

sition on the machine to which the elevator is attached and receivingmotion therefrom,

- ment.

and the clamp-bracket may be raised or lowered and set more or lessobliquely in order to place the sprocketwheel in proper align- The chain43 conveys motion from sprocket-wheel19 to a sprocket-wheel, 25, in Fig.2,which is on the outer end of the shaft of wheel 26. If,when the chainsand belt are in position, the belt should need tightening, then thelower pulley-shaft should be forced downward by the shifting mechanismshown in Fig. 3. Should the belt be right and the chains too loose, thenthe belt and both beltpulleys are carried upward to the required extentby the said shifting mechanism, and the clamp-bracket is adjusted toequalize the strain on chains 13 and 43.

The grain is fed to the bottom of the elevator in the directionindicated by arrow 42, and the receptacle 2 permits the accumulation ofa quantity of grain sufficient to equalize the supply and insure asteady and uniform load to the elevator buckets. A lid, preferablysliding, as shown at 6 in Fig. 1, gives access to the belt and to thecompartment 2.

The arrow 41 indicates the point of View from which, on Fig. 1, therepresentation of the hinge shown in Fig. 6 is taken.

The hinge attachment permits the elevator to be attached tovariously-inclined surfaces, and is a convenience in obviating thenecessity of leveling the machine before making the attachment.

The buckets may be placed at any desired distance apart on the belt, andmay be secured to said belt in any suitable manner, the only essentialrequirement in this regard being that the connection shall be made atthe lower termination of the scoop portion.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The buckethaving back and sides, the downward extensions 37, and the perforatedcavities 88, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The bucket having back and sides, the downward extensions 37, andmeans at the lower termination of the bucket for securing the same to abelt, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The elevator-casing, the belt-pulleys provided each with bearingsadapted to be shifted, the adjustable clamp bracket carrying thegearing, the main sprocket-chain, the secondary sprocket-chain, and thesprocket-wheel on the shaft of the upper belt-pulley, all incombination, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The hinge-clamp 7 8 9 10 and the coacting plate 12, with the bearings11 and the web 24, as and for the purpose set forth.

THOMAS J. UNDERWOOD.

Attest:

O. G. CLARK, E. DUNKEL.

